How to Adult – An easy guide for children in their 20s/30s

You are at that point in your life where you have been thrust into the world of adulthood and you have no idea what to do. Everything seems different all of a sudden and you cannot fathom how just a few years ago, you could not wait to be an adult. Well, there is no reversing time or going back, time is ticking and now that you are an adult, you have no option but to start adulting.

Centuries ago, people did not have much to worry about except finding food, water and a safe place to live. The economy probably wasn’t half as bad as it is today, the population was not as high, and there were probably not too many responsibilities.

Life may have been easier then, but today, it’s harder because we have more responsibilities.

With that said, how do you adult?

How to Adult?

What is adulting?

Honestly, I don’t think there is a clear definition anywhere on what adulting is because this is a stage in life that we pass through. It is a process that every living human being goes through the moment they stop being teenagers.

Once you become an adult, you have to abandon all your childish ways and habits if you want people to take you seriously. And I can tell you this – it’s not easy.

But there is a number of things you can do to help you in your adulting journey. So check out our adulting checklist, and hopefully, it will get you started.

Adulting Checklist for 20/30 something

  • Use your money wisely

  • Learn how to budget:

    Chances are that you will want to buy all sorts of things once you start making that green. But the fact is, you will not afford most of the things you want because you’ll have bills to pay every month.

To afford the things you want, you need to have a budget. When you have a budget, you will be able to manage your monthly income better, which means you will be able to come up with a savings plan.

When you have a savings plan, you can figure out what to buy and or what to do once you have accumulated enough savings.  

  • Live within your means:

    Track your spending to make sure that you do not exceed your budget. If you are in a habit of constantly exceeding your budget, you are likely to end up in debt.

Avoid living beyond your means. Don’t spend all your money partying or buying expensive items to make a statement, meanwhile, you have not paid even a single dime to cover your monthly expenses.

If you don’t want to find yourself knee deep in debt, live the life you can afford.  

  • Set financial targets for yourself:

Make sure you set financial goals and work hard towards achieving them. Start saving and making small investments.

Having financial targets allows you to remain focused and motivated. Once you hit your target goals, you will feel motivated to set bigger goals.  

  • Pay off your debts and loans.

That school loan you haven’t started paying for, start paying for it now. The sooner you start clearing your debts, the sooner you will be able to start saving money for emergencies and investments.

Create a plan to make it easier to settle your debts and loans.

  • Invest in your future.

Invest in your future by saving up your money and investing in a place where it will grow. Take up a 401K plan with your employer if possible to ensure that you have retirement money. Make investments that guarantee financial growth and stability in future.

  • Have an Emergency Fund.

This doesn’t necessarily have to be for medical emergencies alone. Having some savings can help you during any crisis. You don’t need to start with a huge amount. You can start with a small amount and make frequent deposits over a period of time until you have accumulated enough to do something meaningful. If you accumulate enough, you can purchase a health insurance policy.  

  • Secure your wealth

Whatever wealth you have could be lost at any moment, which is why you need to ensure that your assets are insured against loss or damage.

Investing is also another way of securing your wealth. When you put your money in a place where it will grow, you are securing your finances as well you’re future.

  • Learn how to make money

Investing your money in a venture that brings in more money is the best thing you can ever do with your savings. Saving for the future is okay, but at some point, you need to learn how to grow your money.

Any financial advisor will tell you that making money is better than saving money because if you are making money nothing will be out of your reach.

There are many ways to build wealth. You could start a side hustle that helps you make more money and once you have accumulated enough, you can start making big investments.   

  • Think hard before making large purchases

Making large purchases can be exciting, but large purchases are also expensive. Any purchase that requires significant spending requires planning and consideration.

Therefore, before making a large purchase, think hard and ask yourself if it’s worth it and can you really afford it.  

  • Keep track of your Credit Rating and check your credit report every year

Your credit rating will prove to be significant in future especially when you’ll need to borrow money from a bank or other financial institution. It is, therefore, important to keep track of your credit.

Also, learn how to check your credit limit. Some banks may allow you to check your credit for free, while others may require you to be a cardholder.

  • Do not procrastinate on paying bills

Young adults have a habit of accumulating unnecessary bills because of poor budgeting habits. Avoid dealing with a mountain of bills by paying your bills on time. Have a monthly budget plan to help you track your bills and their due dates.

When you get in the habit of tracking your bills and paying them on time, you will be surprised how good you will become at managing all your expenses and your money in general.

  • Pay your taxes

Once you get a job or open a business, you are required by the government to pay taxes. So basically with this one, you have no option but to do the right thing or else, face jail time or pay heavy fines for not your paying taxes.

Final Remarks

Many people will expect you to be an adult without telling you how to be an adult. When you reach a certain age, you are no longer considered a child. But this okay because it’s all part of growing up.

Being an adult is not easy because you are responsible for yourself and even for others. But most adulting is based on the ability to handle yourself well, being responsible and making good life decisions.  

Hopefully, these tips will help you in your adulting journey and maybe you will find that it’s not that hard being an adult. In any case, think of it like this, you can now do things you couldn’t when you were a teenager.  


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